Health Benefits of Black Pepper and Turmeric

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you would already know that turmeric or curcuma longa has been used as a spice for centuries in Asian cuisine and is widely cultivated in India.

Curcumin and other curcuminoids (key which are chemical compounds in turmeric) offer numerous health benefits since they are powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial agents.

It is a popular ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine.

Today, turmeric supplements are also available. They are generally available as capsules, tincture or liquid extracts.

Before I discuss how turmeric and black pepper combo is awesome, let me talk a bit about black pepper too.

About Black Pepper

Peppercorns which are got from the piper nigrum evergreen vine give us black, green and white peppercorns.

To make black pepper, the peppercorns must be plucked just before ripening, left to ferment and then dried until they shrivel and turn black.

Most of the world’s supply of black pepper comes from India. Apart from being used to season food, black pepper is also used for medicinal purposes.

Health Benefits Of Black Pepper And Turmeric

Health benefits of any food or herb is based on its key active ingredients.

Piperine is the key chemical in black pepper. It is similar to capsaicin a chemical in chili and offers many health benefits. Curcumin which is a polyphenol plays the same role in turmeric.

Both these compounds have been studied to examine the potential health benefits they can offer individually or together. Here are some of their benefits:

1. Black pepper enhances bioavailability of Turmeric

One important question which must be popping in your mind right now would be why among so many spices are we talking about black pepper?

Most of the curcumin that is ingested gets metabolized before it can get absorbed. Piperine is said to help make curcumin more bioavailable.

This could be because it could inhibit certain intestinal digestive enzymes. This increases the amount of any drug or supplement that can be absorbed by the body. They also do not get degraded quickly.

Hence, there are studies to test if co-administering curcumin with piperine could improve the bioavailability of the former.

These studies have been conducted on humans and laboratory animals.

One study found that when even 2g of curcumin was ingested, its serum levels were very low. However, when 20mg piperine was added to curcumin the bioavailability increased by 2000%.

The bioavailability, serum levels and levels of absorption of curcumin all improved dramatically.

What it means: Thus, if one takes turmeric, most of it is unutilized unless supplemented by addons such as black pepper.

2. Help in reducing pain

Piperine in black pepper can trigger TRPV1 (transient receptor potential vanilloid type-1) in the body. This triggering can reduce pain.

Piperine is also used as an analgesic cream that can be applied topically on the skin to relieve pain.

Some studies have focused on using piperine as a new way to kill chronic pain – especially neuropathic pain which is untreatable.

3. Is Anti-inflammatory

Curcumin has been studied for its anti-inflammatory capabilities especially in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and other inflammatory conditions.

Laboratory studies were conducted on the way curcumin can be used as an anti-arthritic agent. An animal model of rheumatoid arthritis was used and 3 curcuminoids were studied.

The curcuminoids were administered before and not after inflammation set in. It was found that oil-depleted turmeric fraction was not as effective as a commercial composition that contained 94% combination of the 3 curcuminoids in combating inflammatory conditions.

Non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are usually used to treat all inflammatory conditions.

However, long term use can cause serious side effects. Hence, safer alternatives like curcumin are being studied for their potential anti-inflammatory benefits that can be used long term without any side effects.

Curcumin is able to inhibit the activity of cytokines and enzymes such as COX-1 and COX-2. It has been recommended as a treatment for chronic neurodegenerative diseases in combination with lower doses of NSAIDs.

4. Cancer benefits

Dietary polyphenols like piperine and curcumin have been studied for their effect on prevention of breast cancer. Mammosphere formation, which is a marker of breast stem cells were studied.

Turmeric and black pepper compounds both inhibited mammosphere formation. They also did not cause any toxicity, therefore showing that they could be possible cancer preventive agents.

Current breast cancer treatments are often ineffective and very often even after chemotherapy and other treatment, the cancer cells reappear. According to new studies, this could be because cancer stem cells still remain and could cause tumors to recur after a period.

Hence, new research is trying to find possible ways to target stem cells. Studies have found that turmeric and black pepper combined could target breast stem cells.

In a University of Michigan study, cancer cells were injected with a potent solution of piperine and curcumin that was at least 20 times stronger that what is normally consumed through food.

Breast stem cell markers were studied. The self-renewal process of breast stem cells that is the hallmark of initiating cancer was interrupted.

This is considered a significant development. Further both compounds did not affect normal breast tissue. Sometimes women who are susceptible to breast cancer maybe advised to take medications like tamoxifen. However, these can be toxic.

Natural compounds, which offer similar benefits and are non-toxic, could be a safe alternative therapy. Another benefit is that piperine and curcumin target self-renewal of all stem cells and not just those that are estrogen sensitive like tamoxifen.

This theory offers hope to all women who develop breast cancer not just the estrogen driven kind.

5. Controlling Obesity

Turmeric and black pepper could be combined to fight high cholesterol levels, obesity and diabetes. Diet induced bodily changes to blood glucose, body weight, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or bad cholesterol and triglyceride could be affected by CPQ. CPQ is an acronym for the combination of curcumin, piperine and quercetin (got from onion skin).

Presence of flavonoids in CPQ is possibly responsible for many of the reactions like decrease in glucose transport. These studies were conducted on laboratory rats.

Precautions

Black pepper must not be consumed in excess of 1 tsp a day when certain medications like digoxin or phenytoin are being taken.

The rate at which these medications are cleared by the liver could slow down when black pepper is consumed in excess.

Turmeric as spice is considered to be very safe. Turmeric supplements must not be consumed in excess and for long periods. This could cause indigestion, dizziness, nausea or diarrhea.

Those who are pregnant and breastfeeding are advised to avoid all types of herbal supplements. Diabetic patients, those due for surgery and those with gallbladder problems must also stop using turmeric supplements.

While both turmeric and black pepper are considered very safe and have been used since thousands of years, if you suffer from some specific medical problems and are not sure about using them, please consult your doctor.

277 Comments

I hope this post gets seen, as the last post seems like a while ago. Please elaborate on why diabetics and High blood pressure people shouldn’t use this combination? I just purchased turmeric EO and black pepper EO to boost my system. I have breast cancer. I can’t swallow pills, so I am looking for advice on the oils. I made up a solution of black pepper & extra virgin coconut oil (2% dilution) and another of turmeric essential and black pepper essential oil (4% dilution). The black pepper/EVCO mix is for digestive problems and the turmeric/pepper mix is for general health. How should I use them throughout the day, if at all? Why not diabetcis/HBP patients?

Turmeric has blood pressure reducing and blood sugar reducing properties. So it is said that when taken in combination with medicines for high BP and diabetes it may have an additive effect. However that does not happen in real life but it is advised not to take turmeric supplements at the same time as other meds since turmeric interferes in drug metabolism.
We can’t come much on the usage of essential oils for cancer. Turmeric oil does not contain curcumin which is required for cancer treatment.
However you can take Golden Paste. Since you can’t take capsules, you can buy curcumin supplements or powder and just add the powder to the paste after it has cooled down or when you are taking it.
Start with small doses such as 1/4-1/2 tsp and if you see no side effects then increase the dose gradually to 1-2 tsp 2-3 times a day over a few weeks. You may need higher doses. Best taken with food to avoid acid reflux. Avoid taking it at the same time when you take other meds. http://www.turmericforhealth.com/turmeric-recipes/how-to-make-turmeric-paste-or-golden-paste

Hi my mother was recently diagnosed with Temporal Arteritis (inflammation of her veins) and has affected her vision in one eye.Do you know anyone who has had this disease who have taken Tumeric and Pepper and has it helped? Also how about juicing turmeric and adding black pepper. Is it just as effective?

Hi Kathy. Turmeric is an inflammatory agent and it is good for vascular health, so it should help in temporal arteritis. Juicing turmeric is great and it will be helpful. However we would recommend Golden Paste also apart from juicing. Start with small doses such as 1/4-1/2 tsp and if you see no side effects then increase the dose gradually to 1-2 tsp 2-3 times a day over a few weeks. Best taken with food to avoid acid reflux. Avoid taking it at the same time when you take other meds.http://www.turmericforhealth.com/turmeric-recipes/how-to-make-turmeric-paste-or-golden-paste

Throw away the crazy recipes. Just keep a mix of turmeric and pepper in a coffee cup. Put a teaspoon in a glass and add 3 or 4 ounces of water and gulp that down. If you try these wacko elaborate recipes you will start to just blow it off and discontinue your use of this beneficial combination of spices. “keep it simple stupid”

It is proven that turmeric and pepper work great on some cancer situation. In my case, I cleared my prostate growth that reached 10,2 on PSA trest. Now it is 4,8 at my age of 77 years.

However, the turmeric/pepper mix MUST be COOKED first and OIL added later.

The paste preparation:
– To half a cup of turmeric powder add boiling water in order to get a spredable looking paste. Cook it SLOWLY about 5 minutes while adding 5 grams (one and half tea spoon of finely grounded pepper).
– When done, add 0.7 dcl of olive oil. Mix well.
Put in a jar and keep in a fridge to be used within about 7-10 days.

Take ¾ tea spoon of this paste 5-6 times a day. If cancer is aggressive, take the paste every two hours. Some research suggests that it works on breast cancer as well.

Thank you for this truly fantastic article. My mom is 63 and she’s had pain in her hands and knees for years. For a long time she’s been making turmeric tea by grating the raw turmeric and mixing with buttermilk. She got some pain relief, but she wasn’t as consistent as she should have been because of all the cleaning, as turmeric stained the pots and tea towels etc…I read about your post here and thought I would send her some Turmeric capsules to try and within 2 weeks, she had so much relief. She called and raved about how much better she was feeling. She cannot take black pepper though because of a sensitive stomach, so I got her turmeric capsules without black pepper. She’s happy 🙂 and I’m happy she’s happy and without pain 🙂 Wishing you all the best and thank you for your very very helpful posts!

Thank you for your feedback, Annette. Really glad to hear about your mother’s health. Just a suggestion since supplements are not good for long term, you can ask your mom to take the Golden Paste. It is good for her overall health, but yes again there are chances of staining. She can skip the black pepper in it. Oils alone are also sufficient for increasing absorption of curcumin, turmeric’s active ingredient. Start with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon a day and gradually increase it to 1-2 teaspoons 2-3 times or how it suits her. Take it with meals. http://www.turmericforhealth.com/turmeric-recipes/how-to-make-turmeric-paste-or-golden-paste

Hi. We have not heard of such a combination but yes turmeric can be mixed with other herbs and spices. Its safe. However it is advisable to take turmeric powder with meals for better absorption and to avoid risk of acid reflux.

Hi!
Can I ask why supplements are not good long term.
I work very long hours and also work irregularly – this means I don’t have a routine with food & fitness. Caspules are easy to have in the car. Also, the supplements I have contain 1% black pepper per capsule – is this enough to provide health benefits?

I was planning to buy a 1lb bag of Tumeric powder and simply adding the black pepper to the bag and then make capsules. I was wondering how many oz of black pepper I would need to add to a 16 oz bag of Tumeric powder.

Also, I read something here about the pepper losing its bio-availability for the Tumeric if its ground and not kept in full peppercorn form which was confusing.

Alternatively, I saw the BulkSupplements Pure Quercetin option you linked to. Was this totally in lieu of black pepper all together? Would this work better for the capsules I plan to make?

Are there long-term capsule storage issues for efficacy (or going bad) with either option?

P.S. On many Tumeric powders there is no Curcumin content listed. Is it fair to say if its organic you could expect 4% on almost every organic Tumeric powder regardless of company? It is what it is type of thing? Im gonna go with either Organic India, Frontier, Starwest, or Feelgood Organics most likely.

Just a quick addition : If the Quercetin is the best answer for making my capsules ( if the pepper absolutely needs to be fresh ground and would lose efficacy being stored in the capsules) what would be the correct amount of Quercetin in oz. for the 16 oz of Tumeric?

For 500mg of turmeric in capsule you would need 5mg piperine which would be around 10-20mg black pepper. Its tough to give an answer in oz for the proportion per capsule would change. Per capsule the quercetin range would be 60-100mg approx. We are not really sure if it can replace black pepper but it may help in increasing bioavailability. You could consult a herbalist for this.
Freshly ground black pepper is always advised since piperine its active ingredient is volatile. The curcumin content of turmeric powders is generally in the range of 3-5% but may differ for various brands.
There shouldn’t be storage issues as such since these powders stay fresh for month or more under good storage conditions. Well bottled and stored in a cool dry place.

Thanks for the reply. I was looking at Onion Powder or Amalaki (Indian Gooseberry) powder as the possible quercetin source to mix with the Tumeric. The Bulk Supplements product seems to be expensive for what Im thinking of doing. Although measuring the amount of quercetin in those natural sources is basically impossible Its a lot less expensive. The way this is going I may just have to guess-timate. I cant measure every single capsule and Im not going to grind fresh black pepper everyday. If you were to do this approach yourself, which approach would you choose if you were to make the capsules in one sitting?

I COULD fresh grind a couple oz of black peppers and then cap them right away. Or, I can just buy a couple oz of black pepper and dump it in the 16 oz Tumeric bag and call it good. If I see the bag of Tumeric with black pepper speckled throughout it Im thinking that my be enough. If you think this approach would be basically ineffective let me know.

I can basically take the same approach with the Onion powder or the Amalaki. Like 2/3 Tumeric to 1/3 of one of these powders, mixed thoroughly and capped.

I realize neither of these methods are perfect but they do have to be somewhat effective at assimilating the tumeric. Im just not going to be making paste all the time. I appreciate your time. Great website btw.

If you don’t want to be accurate then the approach of 2/3 turmeric and 1/3 of each powder is a safe option that would be close to the accuracy. Or you could mix in roughly 100g of each of these powders with 500g turmeric powder and take it immediately after meals so that the dietary fat aids in absorption.
Also quercetin is not a must. Hope this makes things a bit simpler.

Hi, I have angioedema and vasculitis. I have severe attacks daily. What is the best way to get turmeric into my system? Adding to food? Tea? Milk? How much is too much?
Thank you.. I need the swelling to stop…

Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory agent and also found to be therapeutic in allergic and autoimmune conditions. The condition you are suffering from is chronic and you would require to take turmeric for quite some time for a visible effect. The best way to take turmeric is The Golden Paste. This ensures that its bioactive ingredients are absorbed in the body. You can start with 1/2 teaspoon or less 1-2 times a day and gradually build the dose as to how it suits you say about 1-2 teaspoon 2-3 times a day.http://www.turmericforhealth.com/turmeric-recipes/how-to-make-turmeric-paste-or-golden-paste

Hi, Thank you so much for sharing very knowledgeable information! am taking Curcumin supplement – 492g twice a day for depression and anxiety. How many black peppercorn should I take? Is that high enough dosage?

For dosage regarding supplements it is best to consult a doctor. The dose you are taking is similar to what is tested in clinical trials. Take supplements with meal. 1/8-1/4 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper should be fine. Turmeric supplements with black pepper are also manufactured.

If your capsules do not contain piperine or any other bioenhancer like lipids Then you would require to take black pepper. Also you can take the capsules immediately after meals because dietary fat can enhance absorption of curcumin.

I came here because I read that turmeric is only fat soluble. Is that true? Or could I just add black pepper to my salad? The idea of adding coconut oil to my salad sounds awful. But If I can just add black pepper that would be great. If you insist that I do need fat to absorb the turmeric, Could I just take a fish oil capsule with my meal?

i have been having chronic throat pain problem since 7 years, before both part of the throat use to heart, now only the left side hurts, as i talk pain increases, can not talk like a normal person would before my throat pain increases, maybe around 20% of what a regular person would talk. i have been trying so many things but maybe not doing one thing for long time due to lack of guidance. bcz of swelling in my throat i also get viral infection very often, almost 2-3 times a month, but those go away after taking medicine. would taking 1tsp of turmeric, wit 1/4 tsp of black pepper power with milk regularly help me with my problem? any guidance would be appreciated.

Disagree on not taking supplements. Turmeric root does not have enough curcumin to be effective. All these studies cited are from using Turmeric extract which you can only get in supplement form. I take GNC Turmeric 500mg (475mg curcuminoids)

I use fresh Turmeric root in a “juice” type drink I love to make. I use approx the amount that matches 1.5 of my index fingers. Pepper TOTALLY ruins the drink. How do i increase the bioavailability? Do i just swallow a tsp of black pepper before or after the drink?

Hi. Due to car accident some 30 years ago I have multiple bone fractures with spine damage have been suffering with terrible Arthritis for years. I have just started taking every morning Turmeric supplement called METABUZ which I add lemon juice and ACV/Honey mix.
For breakfast I have organic cereal with 1/2 teaspoon of Turmeric + 1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon +1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper + 1 tablespoon each of Coconut oil and Raw Honey fill bowel with Organic Coconut Milk.

Is this to much Turmeric to take for one day?

Pain has dropped to about 2 out of 10 level 10 being hi can not get rid of stiffness in my spine but is good not to have the pain.
Would be grateful for any feedback

Rob: Along with the Turmeric, take Devil’s Claw.I have inflammatory arthritis of the spine and without either one of these, I would be in agony. Turmeric is wonderful, but it can’t do it all. Give the combination a couple of weeks to mitigate the pain and see what happens.

Barbara would you consider taking fresh garlic mashed and allowed to sit for at least ten minutes , Also thyme along with similar herbs and spices , I am using natural anti-inflammatories in conjunction with the herbs to fight the hidden infections which are causing the inflammation in the first place , The swelling in my hand joints and wrist is gone completely , Maybe google hidden infections see if it makes sense to you .

Don’t drink milk, or any food for that matter, if you can’t tolerate it (allergy or whatever). Most (not all) of northern European descendants have adapted to handle milk just fine. In fact there are whole cultures who thrive drinking milk. Of course, they typically drink raw milk, not pasteurized, which totally screws it up, but getting a safe source of raw can be very tricky and requires living in state where it is legal to do so. So if Andrew is speaking about pasteurized milk, I guess I would tend to agree, but if you live where raw is legal and you trust where it is coming from, that is the way to go!!

Hi Rob – I highly recommend reading a book titled Warrior Pose: How Yoga (literally) Saved My Life by Brad Willis (my library had it). World-wide news correspondent Brad broke his back when he fell from a high place on vacation. From then on he managed his life and career on booze and pain killers until one day his 2-year little boy helped him realize he was definitely going to die SOON if he didn’t drastically change how he was living. While going to a pain center to manage his severe pain he became intrigued by a yoga studio in the same area. Slowly, he completely healed his broken back, his dependence on pain killers and his life. It is such an incredibly inspiring story I know you will love it. Start slow, very slow, if you decide this might be for you. Also, there is a video online of a another wonderfully inspiring man (this you can access immediately) who was a paratrooper that experienced too many jumps (hitting the ground repeatedly took its toll on his legs and spine) and was barely able to walk, needed heavy-duty crutches, after he left the military. He slowly began a personal at-home yoga practice and healed completely also. The almost unbelievable transformation of the online former paratrooper video story will stun and delight you; he’s just brimming with good health today, truly unrecognizable from his former self. Wishing you the best, the very best. Lynn

I buy a brand of Tumeric that uses Ginger with it rather than pepper. What are your thoughts on that? Will it work as well? Just to be on the safe side, however, I take my Tumeric after meals in which I add pepper to the meal. My stomach is very sensitive to black pepper so I have to be easy on the spice. Do you think Tumeric with Ginger will work similarly for those of us with sensitive tummies?

I juice fresh organic turmeric root and add black peppercorn to it with coconut oil. I warm coconut milk, ad 1 tsp of turmeric and I also put 1 tsp of fresh ginger root juiced. Then I add 1 Tbsp of honey to it and drink. It is very good!!

I like your “cocktail” Tena! I’d like to try it but I have a few questions, if you don’t mind. How much peppercorn do you use? Also, I take it that the tsp of turmeric you’re adding to the warm coconut milk is the turmeric mixture with the pepper and coconut oil, is that right? Lastly, how much warm coconut milk? Thank you, kindly.

Ginger is a fine aid to digestion. I make ginger, turmeric, hibiscus tea with lemon and honey. It is great it you appreciate tart flavors, but you could sweeten it as much as you like. I have been enjoying this for a couple of months and it helps my mild arthritis quite a bit. But I would not forego pepper. I have not read that ginger aids bioavailabilty as pipperine does.

you still need to take black pepper with the turmeric so the body can absorb the turmeric. and yes go ahead and take ginger with it if you want to but black pepper is what helps the body absorb turmeric. I have a sensitive stomach and have to take the turmeric and black pepper at the same time that I eat or just after. it is best to take the black pepper and turmeric with buttermilk or whole milk to help protect the stomach from getting upset. and its also a real good idea to take a good brand of plant based enzymes to help in the digestion process.

I agree entirely with the black pepper. I have a cup of full fat milk with a teaspoon of Turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper and add Honey to taste, this on its own for my elevenses has worked wonders I do also add Turmeric and the Black pepper into my meals as and when I can. The other thing I also take is Cayenne Pepper as and when mixed in my meals also.
In the two months of taking the above I have reduced my chronic migraines to vitually zero, plus my very bad acid reflux is on it’s way out too, which I have suffered for 12 years.

David, I have chronic migraines and was reading this thread to see if anyone mentioned it for migraines. How do you take cayenne pepper? I imagine all three of these (turmeric, black pepper and cayenne) will cause me digestive upset. As it is, garlic makes me painfully bloated and gassy.

Hi Barbara. Cayenne Pepper is added in meals as and when I can, on Toast is nice, after buttering add a couple of shakes of the pepper, then I put on marmalade, it’s lovely and tangy and not too intense. I sprinkle it on lots of food.as they say a little often does you good. Since my last post in April, my Migrains have completely gone and my Arthritis is now down to a 1 at pain level of 10. My acid reflux is still slow at improving, maybe when I can tone down the pepper intake that might help..
Hope you improve soon

I have purchased 250g of piperine which i add to turmeric at a rate of 5% then pack into capsules , The piperine fine powder is not tough on the stomach like ground peppercorns , Ginger is not a substitute for pepper , Ginger and turmeric are from the same family ,

Yes ginger is also known to increase bioavailability and absorption of various active ingredients. Also its good for digestion. Plus since you are taking turmeric with meals it will be absorbed with the help of dietary fat.

There is. Have you checked Amazon? You really don’t need a supplement. Dr M Greger recommends a 1/4 tsp a day of turmeric and a pinch or so of pepper. That is easy to incorporate into evening tea. I like hibiscus. Unless money is no object and you like taking capsules, I suggest trying to consume it daily. Cook with them or add them to processed stuff. Get them at a grocery or spice shop.

There are capsule supplements of turmeric, curcumin and black pepper combined – bottled and sold by Nature’s Truth – I found it in a Rite Aid drug store – dosage is 500 milligrams – one capsule daily preferably with a meal. RIte Aid also sells the same combination under their brand name and so does GNC. I imagine other drug stores would sell the same combination too. However, I find that just sprinkling a good amount of organic turmeric powder in my coffee or tea or milk, relieves arthritic pain right away!

I make the Golden Paste he referred to in this article and I take it 3 times a day, 1 teaspoon at a time, more if my arthritis is bad. I started taking the paste last September 2015 and I stopped my Celebrex at the end of January! It really does work!

I have purchased some good organic turmeric to make this paste. I have black pepper oil and am wondering if that will work as well as the ground black pepper. If so, how much oil should I use in this recipe?

According to health guru Andrew weil Taking whole turmeric is more beneficial than isolated curcumin. Curcumin in wholeTurmeric is in more biologically available form than purified curcumin. Secondly, Turmeric if used in culinary practice is a more practical suggestion and it fit into the dictum “Let Food shall be thy Medicine and Medicine shall be thy Food.”

I love to use Green Peppercorns instead of black. Green Peppercorns are softer and more flavorsome. They can be made into a paste with turmeric and mustard. When dipped in salted vinegar the become soft and can be added to green salads. The soft bite you get will make the salads more enjoyable. This is a more versatile form of Peppercorn with wider food applications.

I use a Japanese tumeric called Ukon (6801005). It is a organic turmeric of Spring (Wild) and Autumn curcumin. It is in a soft gel which prevents exposure to oxygen & moisture. The Ukon supplement also has Olive oil, Vitamin E, Evening Primrose Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Perilla Oil and Niacin. Since reading this article I have also added doterra (28794) Black Pepper essential oil as part of my regimen. I started taking the Ukon a couple months after repair of my right medial meniscus tear repair. I had inflammation that was just not going way after my 3 mos. A friend gave me some Ukon to try and my swelling was greatly reduced overnight and within a month I was able to play tennis and hike which I had thought I would no longer be able to do. I then started doing my own experiment and sharing with friends that excessive post surgical swelling and they too had similar response. I didn’t know about the black pepper but I zyto bio scanned myself a while back and I came up for black pepper essential oil. I didn’t know at the time why I would have needed it but now it’s making sense. I see myself always taking Ukon/Tumeric for it’s multitude of health benefits. Might as well throw in a drop or two of the black pepper e.o. since I have it. I appreciate all the shares and recipes especially smoothies. Thanks

Curry (containing black pepper and turmeric) is applied to ONIONS in traditional Indian (and other?) cooking. Delicious. Naturally, oil is used in cooking the onions. (Don’t overcook.) This is yummy. It can be applied to steak, rice, veggies … anything.

I have just found this thread, have been taking an apparently insufficient cap of cucurmin for some time. I note several questions about”pepper”. Bunch of yankees! Red pepper, cayenne, jalapenos, pequins, all those hot stuff “peppers” are from an entirely different tribe of plants, and while also really good for you, as blood cleanser, digestive stimulant, on and on, are not “pepper” as discussed in relation to cucurmin.

Another item that came up referred to amayldgin (sp?), and cyanide. All seeds of the malus(apple) family contain this substance, also referred to as Laetrile, or Vit. b 16. It is widely used in alternative cancer treatment and prevention, Look it up. I have eaten almonds every day for forty years.For what it’s worth, Edgar Cayce stated that doing so would prevent cancer, period.

Can someone please tell me how much olive oil to take with say, 1/2 tsp. of tumeric and 1/4 tsp. of black pepper. I can’t seem to find any articles that give these proportions. I do know that taking an oil with tumeric is important for absorption.

Hi Linda, in the book “Anti Cancer A New Way of Life” by David Servan-Schreiber, MD, PhD, he says to mix 1/4 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp of olive oil, and one generous pinch of black pepper twice a day. You can put it in anything. I just drop it in a small amount of water and drink it down. I stopped trying to stir because as we know oil and water don’t mix, plus it doesn’t get all over everything. I hope this helps. The book is worth reading, you can find it at the public library.

Turmeric – especially curcumin its chemical compound – contains potent antiviral, anti-fungal, anti-cancer and anti-bacterial properties. Researchers are trying to find new ways to contain a flu pandemic especially in overpopulated developing countries. One such way is to have adequate supplies of antiviral agents and vaccines. Inexpensive antiviral agents like turmeric are being widely studied – especially their ability to contain an infection. Among the many agents studied is curcumin, which has cell signaling effects which could prove beneficial. Laboratory studies found that curcumin reduced viral replication of 90% and more of cells infected by influenza virus. It also displayed an ability to protect infection from spreading to other cells. This ability to halt replication of microbes and viruses means that turmeric could offer therapeutic benefits in treating flu.

Can I use freshly ground white pepper instead of the black? Since it is from the same plant as the black, but is fully ripened before picking, does it contain the same amounts of piperine as the black? I find I like the taste of white pepper better in my morning oats with turmeric and cinnamon – topped with a splash of homemade kefir.

I sprinkle Turmeric and black pepper into a mug of hot oat milk, which is naturally sweet and contains rapeseed oil, its a great drink. I find l am more alert and have more energy, wake up better in the morning, and feel more randy, (sorry about that), perhaps it’s like they say, it’s all in the mind.

I buy a packed of tumeric powder and black pepper powder..half tsp tumeric and 1/4 tsp black pepper…simple as that i put it inside my mouth with a teaspoon and drink water..1 in the morning and evening..not time consuming in preparation…in the office i drink green tea no sugar and a half tsp of cinnamon powder in it..the effect is awesome my body pains are gone and it boost my energy!

Hello, I buy fresh, organic turmeric from an organic shop in the Adelaide Central Market. I eat a piece about the size of a smallish thumb. It tastes like a peppery carrot. I also put it in my juicer with celery, ginger and parsley. The other day a woman who was queuing with me to pay told me to eat it with black pepper. This is what led me here. The fresh stuff is amazing. I chewed up some peppercorns tonight with it and it added a nice fiery kick. I’m hoping it will bring great health benefits. 🙂

I have been making a drink with Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (with the mother), Turmeric, cayenne pepper and a splash of pineapple juice. What can I do to improve this formula….The vinegar has had an effect on energy levels to be sure.

I only use a few ounces of the juice, but yes removing sugar is a good idea. I have replaced the cayenne with black and have started to take the turmeric with olive oil instead. This seems to have increase absorption

I use the ACV with turmeric, cinnamon, black pepper and coconut oil. I think its tastes a lot like honey mustard, and I take it straight off a spoon, twice a day. Much easier to get down than sipping a tonic.

How much black pepper. all over the internet i read……….use it with black pepper…..but nowhere can i find how much black pepper. a definitive quantity would be great rather than……….take turmeric with black pepper 😀

Fox and friends had a doctor on this morning’s show, (today is October 15, 2015) they were talking about “brain fog” he was recommending a half teaspoon of black pepper, and a half teaspoon of turmeric mixed in water. I’ve been at least three hours now trying to get the article from the show, but there’s no place to click on it. Anyway, that’s what he was recommending. And he wrote a book about it, but I don’t know who “he” is.

Ok, the idea is not black pepper in itself but in fact its most active constituent which is piperine. Piperine makes up 5% of black pepper. afaik there is only one study (which you could have found on the web) which triggered the hundreds of website advising people to add black pepper to turmeric for therapeutic use, in that study bioavailability of curcumin was multiplied 200 times by adding 1% of piperine to the curcumin.
Curcumin makes up 3% of turmeric. So one rhizome of turmeric that weighs 10 grams yields 300 mgs of curcumin so you’d need 3 mgs of piperine or 60 mg of black pepper. I have no scales for such tiny weight measuring but I think a medium sized peppercorn should weigh somewhere around 10 mg.

I found that article. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9619120. Here’s the key sentence: “in humans after a dose of 2 g curcumin alone, serum levels were either undetectable or very low. Concomitant administration of piperine 20 mg produced much higher concentrations from 0.25 to 1 h post drug (P < 0.01 at 0.25 and 0.5 h; P < 0.001 at 1 h), the increase in bioavailability was 2000%. "

Thanks for pointing it out. Since pepper is 5% piperine and turmeric is 3% curcumin, and only 1% of piperone is required, a gram of turmeric would require no more than .01 grams (10 milligram) of pepper–indeed, a lot less, since pepper is 2/3 stronger in piperine than turmeric is in curcumin. That's a very small quantity of pepper. I am very sensitive to pepper, but even I manage to take that much.

I am currently taking 60mg/day of prednisone to treat the high inflammation due to COP (Crytogenic organizing Pneumonia) an rare pneumonia. I am currently having a relapse after 7 months on this nasty drug. I would like to incorporate Tumeric into my diet and hoping that this will control the inflammation when i wean off this poison. How much should i take per day in my situation? I was considering buying the empty capsule shells and putting tumeric powder and black pepper together. Is this a good idea? How much of each. Can you fill these shells with freah tumeric too?Thank-you!!! I am also trying to add it to meals but i don’t love the flavour…working on it 🙂

not to get off topic but please read up on ahcc as well. they are giving it in 400 hospitals to prevent the spread of mrsa. it is shitake mushroom; anti-inflamation, antiviral, antibacterial and anti fungal. i thought i would have to go to the emergency one night as the day went by i had a bladder infection that was worsening. i took six ahccs when i got home from work, six more before bed and six more when i woke up and it was gone. it builds the immune system and it might help you Merina. I don’t work for them and get nothing from sharing this information except knowing that it might help others. it is expensive but not when everything is taken into consideration. they give it to cancer patients to avoid the negative effects of chemo. It can be given to cats too for uti. i saved myself hundreds of dollars and after only a day my cat was not revisiting the litter box. it’s quite miraculous.

For taste. Chop an onion in pieces that are not that small. Put butter and coconut oil (which raises butter’s smoke point) in a pan and cook onion slowly on low heat. When onion is translucent, stir in curry to taste and some black pepper. I use Sun Brand Madras curry.
The onions are delicious and can be eaten by themselves throughout the day. You can put them on bread, pita bread (maybe with some grated cheese), or served with rice or meats – or anything, even tacos.

Cook the rice with fresh garlic if you make a meal of this. Lots of it: a head to a dry cup of rice. Start the garlic in butter and coconut oil, put rice in dry to soak that up, then add the boiling water.

I usually mix black pepper mixed in with the turmeric powder and wonder how much black pepper should be included for a teaspoon of turmeric…or does it not matter as long as some is sprinkled in the turmeric? Also, is there different turmeric brands that are better than others and also, is it better dollar-wise and quality-wise to purchase from a site online or directly from an Indian store in my area? Thanks very much.

I have had lots of trouble getting a blood pressure medicine to work. When I went fo the store to refill my Tumeric and Celery Seed the first time I couldn’t find the same brand so I asked the clerk to help me. They are so helpful there and when she handed me the bottle she said ” are you taking Piperine with it”. I said no and she said I should. I want you to know that miraculously all of a sudden my blood pressure came down for the first time in 4 years of trying different BP meds! I think Piperine also enhanced all my meds.

I use approx 1 inch of fresh organic turmeric plus 1/2 teaspoon of crushed organic black pepper in my daily smoothies. Question: is my mixture or the golden paste more effective for the body to absorb the turmeric?

Hi! – I get organic powdered turmeric and black pepper – mix them in a ratio of 9/1 in a spice jar (ratio is arbitrary, but it seemed reasonable) that way, every time i use the turmeric, i get the pepper, too …

I am simply amazed by the healing I have come through since I began drinking my latest concoction of tumeric, thulsi, kerala, and black pepper (which i substitute with meethi) powder in the evenings. all my osteoarthritis associated aches and pains have vanished! i had a lymph node which had flared on my left elbow. (I was petrified that it was cancerous), That LUMP has almost VANISHED! I shared this information with my gpo, she is now curious about my herbal self treatment. now I need to monitor long term effect on my diabetes, elevated blood pressure levels and measure my cholesterol! I feel more energetic and healthy too.

Hi Andisha, your combo looks block-buster. Basil is well know for healing properties and then you have turmeric and karela too! Awesome .. Can you share the recipe please with a pic if possible? It will help others. You can just email me.

Mornings
Tumeric
Basil (thulsi)
Kerala (bitter gourd)
Cinnamon
Few crushed Black peppers to help absorb tumeric)
Mix in about. 25mls of boiled and cooled water. Let it stand for 5 mins and drink in one gulp!
for evening use same poweders but substitute. Pepper with Meethi

Is it ok to put turmeric in normal black tea with milk which we have regularly. I tried that this morning. Boiled the water; added some turmeric powder- half a teaspoon, some grated ginger and some black pepper powder, then added the tea leaves- two and a half teaspoons and allowed to steep for about 2 minutes, added a glass of milks and allowed it heat up for a couple of minutes. It tasted wonderful. My query though is – whether it has any health benefits.

Are those ingredients for your “concoction” powder? And, what are your measurements of each ingredient? My husband has such joint nand back pain. I was looking on line for measurement of tumeric and black pepper (I bought tumeric in powder and I have whole organic malabar pepper from India I am going to grind and put in capsules. However, I am interested in yout concoction as well. Thanks for any info.

I have just begun having joint pain (onset of arthritis?) in my right hand middle and ring finger. My friend told me she takes a shot glass with 1/2 tsp (2.5ML) of tumeric, black pepper, ground ginger and a dash of cayenne pepper mixed with little water and a squirt of lemon juice. My question is this, I’ve been using ground black pepper and have read it is not as good/pure as whole pepper corns. Making the switch to using whole peppercorns is fine but I wonder if I can just put whole peppercorns into my shot glass potion or do I need to grind them up first? The latter is obviously more work but if swallowing them whole is BAD/harmful for me then of course I would grind them up. Please someone help me out with this!

I was on Simvistatin but went off it because it was giving me loose stools. I have tried the Red Yeast Rice/coq10 and garlic capsule and also drink Turmeric tea with peppercorns in it. My ldl is up 25 points. How do I lower my ldl with natural substances. right now my ldl is 174. thanks.

Hi, They can be but I would not recommend it. It may taste horrible. You can take them independently too. Like taking black pepper in salads and turmeric in milk. Many people also use turmeric in salads too.

Another way is to make golden paste – and just take some amount every day 🙂

I mix turmeric in milk- but it takes some other ingredients to make it taste good. I put a little milk in the bottom of a mug and add bovine gelatin, stir until dissolved, then I fill the mug the rest of the way with more milk and heat it up. Then I add a dash of ginger, turmeric, coconut oil, honey and black pepper. The honey’s sweetness and the warmth of the milk make it taste good to me. I’m new to using turmeric and bovine gelatin but I have a mild form of ulcerative colitis and this tonic plus my daily intake of chia seeds seems to be helping!

Is turmeric/black pepper as beneficial when the root is boiled, like to make a tisane/tea? I boil water with ginger and turmeric roots and whole black peppercorns and let steep for 1-2 hours (sometimes with green tea) before drinking. I have been wondering if it would be better to grind them into a paste and mix into tea or something similar.

Under “Precautions” it states no more than one tsp of black pepper should be consumed per day. I would suggest one tsp of black pepper and two to four tsp of turmeric and mix them in a glass of water and drink it down once a day.

Yes, thanks Keshav, thats why I take black pepper, in oil form with my turmeric as I prefer the concentrated amount I can get compared to how much I could tolerate of the powder. Your link is very helpful and interesting.

Lorraine: Can you tell me how much Oil of Black Pepper you use. I make a smoothie in the mornings with spinach, kale, various fruits, etc. I usually add approx. 1 1/2 to 2 tsps of turmeric and about 1/4 tsp of black pepper. This is all them mixed in my Vitamix blender. The problem I have with this is this is a cold drink and much of the pepper settles at the bottom of my glass. I love the taste but the last sip and 10 times the pepper and is quite spicy. I’m thinking that the Oil of Black Pepper would alleviate this problem. The question is how much oil. I use a pure oil from Wyndmere Naturals and it is very potent. Any suggestions?

I add fresh turmeric root to my smoothie every morning to reduce inflammation and for general health benefits and I have 2 questions. 1) Do I need to ingest black pepper at the same time as the turmeric or can it be throughout the course of a day? 2)How much turmeric root would be equivalent to 500 mg? Approximately a half inch? Inch? Thanks so much!!

Hi just happened across this website, this is all very interesting I’ve started trying to have ground turmeric daily and only just learned about the black pepper combination. I also read that you have to be careful if taking turmeric on an empty stomach as it thins the blood and so could lead to becoming light headed? I now have after breakfast a hot drink of fresh squeezed lemon, honey, some boiled ginger (if I have it) with ground turmeric (1/2 tea spoon), cloves (also good I gather) and now a couple of peppercorns (guessing on the amount) and it’s lovely (but sometimes I add the turmeric at end and down it!). I’m just wondering if once a day of 1/2 a tea spoon is enough for benefits?? I don’t have any specific conditions but assume it would be good for the tummy/intestines and I do get melasma on my forehead in the sun, which I read turmeric is good for(?) So would it be good to increase from 1/2 a tea spoon for prevention benefits? Any thoughts appreciated.. and does it make a difference whether organic or specially ground turmeric or is all ground turmeric basically the same? Thanks.

My wife and I take our “power punch” drink in the morning. The mix I have created, which tastes very nice too, is 10 tablespoons of Turmeric. 1 of Ginger powder. 1 of Black Pepper and 1 of Cinnamon, All shook up to mix well. Take approx half teaspoon of this mix in a glass of almond milk.
Place the mix in the glass, add a little milk to make a paste, continue to add milk and stir well, and then “down the hatch”. All the herbs are synergistic together, and what we have discovered, is that the addition of ginger powder, makes the drink very creamy, and overall, you can’t taste the black pepper, and the ginger and cinnamon takes away the bitter’ish taste of the turmeric. Enjoy your health. Best wishes. Tony

This sounds like a great concoction for me because some of the other methods people are using don’t appeal to me which has left me wondering about realistically fitting this into my diet . I don’t prefer almond milk. Do you think it’s okay to substitute soy milk or coconut water? Thanks.

I’ve been putting ground black peppercorns on my dinner the last week but I’ve got reallyt sore eyes, puffy bloated face – does this mean I’m allergic to it – had it a few months ago and was fine and this is the only change to my diet. Wouldn’t care it does help to flatten the tummy. Would turmeric on its own flatten the tum help with weight loss or will I get a similar reaction to it. Have to stop black pepper till my face goes back to normal – would blackpepper do this? If so – anything I can do to stop this happening. So annoyed because it obviously spices up a very bland diet.

Hi, sorry to know that you are facing issues. As such it is difficult to say what caused the reaction, maybe a doctor will be your best bet to know that. Regarding turmeric – it is considered to be absolutely safe, but everyone’s body is different. So I will suggest you try it in small quantities for a few days and see if there is anything unusual. You can include coconut or olive oil – fat also helps in absorption of turmeric. Yes, do not exceed the daily safe limit! Hope this helps.

Hi, that’s why taking turmeric as a spice is much safer than taking them as supplements. In supplements one tends to take large dosages which may harm. As a spice the quantity is too small to cause harm and thus just benefits.

HI, I was taking 10 mg per day of piperine for the last week, but now I need to be sedated in 5 days for an endoscopy/colonscopy. How long before a procedure should I stop using piperine? I’m concerned obviously because piperine inhibits the major drug-metabolizing enzyme CYP3A4. I was hoping if that it wouldn’t affect the sedation potency. I wonder if a full 5 days off piperine (piperine free) before the endoscopy and colonoscopy is enough and will CYP3A4 will be uninhibited by then?

Although I would still like to know what the inhibition time frame is of piperine. Does piperine destroy the enzyme cyp3a4? or does it simply inhibit it allowing the enzyme to reactivate after 24 hours etc.

Why does nobody mention FRESH turmeric? Its the natural choice. It looks like a darker version of ginger. Non-organic it should be $5-10/lb and organic quite a bit more but who cares? You eat so little. Always try fresh first. I wonder if anyone grows turmeric? It takes a long time to get something edible. About 10 months apparently.

Ginseng takes around a decade to fully grow and ripen and so is a non-bit of a non-starter. Others however are extremely good growers (some need greenhousing for a while to get them going if you live in a colder climate but they are all perfectly feasible.) As with most vegetation it’s getting the first crop that’as the tricky one.

I have been growing turmeric for several years now and add about 1″ of a rhizome into my green juice. It is an odd rooty taste not as appealing with ginger, but with either apple and/or pineapple, ginger and lemon juiced in, it is quite delightful, esp if you have a green star juicer, it makes juice as smooth as wine. I use fresh ground pepper a lot … that being said I still notice recently some of my finger joints are hurting when I wake up.

I doubt if anything will give you relief if the instigator of your joint problems isn’t drastically reduced or eliminated. Focus on protein (the lower the better usually) and sugar, even fructose from fruits. Obviously cooked oils are out. Try mono or instinctive eating. Then by eating one food per meal you’re better able to judge reactions of your body to it. Joint problems can occur quickly but often take days to subside so we need to be patient.

I Grow my own Tumeric, freeze it (it lasts forever frozen), cut it into pill size chunks (easy to swallow) and have swallow about 3 grams per day with a couple of whole peppercorns.
Im not sure how well it works if its not ground down, If our bodies can break down steak and thinks i dont see why it cant break down a small chunk of Tumeric… but i am no expert!
I live in the tropics and Tumeric grown great up here! one plant gets you a massive amount of Tumeric! you can always order a plant online!

Fresh turmeric is hard to find and even harder to eat, especially if you don’t like the taste of turmeric, so I go with what is easy to find and easy to use. It’s also really cheap if you buy it in the big containers at certain restaurant supply stores, such as one around here called “Smart and Final.”

I personally don’t care for the taste of turmeric, but I eat it daily as a medicine. Here’s what I do. I buy the ground spices turmeric, ginger, black pepper, and mustard powder, and also natural cocoa powder at the grocery store. I also get whole natural flax seeds at the grocery store (found in the area where they sell flour) and I grind up 2 tablespoons of them daily in a coffee grinder. I take 2 tablespoons of ground flax seeds, 2 tablespoons of turmeric, 1 tablespoon of ginger, 1 teaspoon of mustard, 1 tablespoon of black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of natural (unsweetened) cocoa powder, and then I put them in a bowl and add just enough water to mix them into a thick paste. I then swallow spoonfuls of the paste, chasing it with a big glass of water until the paste has all been eaten up. I’ve been doing this for years. My joints no longer hurt. I am no longer constipated. I also eat raw apricot seeds. I grind up 2 or 3 of them in a coffee grinder and add enough water to make them into a paste, and then just swallow spoonfuls of them, chased down by water. And good old baking soda. I try to drink about 1/2 teaspoon in a glass of water every other day. The key to fighting cancer is prevention. Try to prevent it if you can.

Your turmeric mixture sounds quite interesting, and I will have to check it out. When you say you eat apricot seeds, do you mean the apricot kernels? I know there is a Chinese herbal mixture that uses very small amounts of apricot kernel that is beneficial, however, the general wisdom is that apricot kernel is unsafe to take by mouth or as an injection. It contains a toxic chemical known as amygdalin. In the body this chemical is converted to cyanide which can cause serious side effects, including death. I would suggest caution with apricot.

The only cells in the body that separate out the cyanide in the amygdalin are cancer cells. Vitamin B12 also contains cyanide (cyanocobalamin) but just as with the amygdalin, it stays bound up and doesn’t harm normal cells. Some amygdalin rich foods are: apricot kernels, apple seeds, bitter almonds, flax seeds, cashews, millet. I now chew and swallow all seeds of apples I eat, and eat a breakfast of cooked millet (w cinnamon for flavor) with chia seeds, fresh ground flax seeds and cashews. Cheap insurance!

Yes, almost every day. Sometimes I am too busy to bother with it or I am traveling and have no access to it. But almost every day.

I now add this to my daily health regimen… After all those spices have been chased down with water, I eat a tablespoon of pure almond butter (just ground almonds and salt) and a heaping teaspoon of virgin coconut oil. I find that it helps with keeping me from burping up turmeric, plus almonds are great for you and virgin coconut oil is also very good for you. Lots of MCFAs in coconut oil. Just make sure it is virgin coconut oil and not the refined kind of coconut oil. It should still smell like coconuts if it is the real thing.

I had horrible joint pain and a family history of cancer, so I thought I would try to kill two birds with one stone. So far, no more joint pain. As for cancer, I’m keeping my fingers crossed. It can’t hurt, and who knows, it might prevent me from getting cancer.

And if you did not post the question above to me about a month ago, you might want to change your password because your account may have been hacked or hijacked. It seems like the previous post from about a month ago may have been written by someone other than you.

Bob you say you don’t care for the taste of turmeric. I agree. Have you ever tried just curcumin powder? I’m sure you know that curcumin is what has most of all the nutrients in turmeric. It is a sweet taste as well. If you want to prevent cancer, alzheimers, heart disease, Arthritis, heals liver and kidney and many other diseases and ailments, then curcumin is the way to go. Normal dosage is 1gram, or 1 rounded 1/4 teaspoon. Yes it costs more but you aren’t consuming unneeded turmeric that you are buying, and it does the healing much quicker than turmeric because all of the antioxidants and other anti’s in it. I get mine on ebay which have many many pages of the product for sale. I paid 51.00 for 500 grams, at a gram a day is 1 year 4/12 months. There are many different amounts you can buy. 5 grams on up to over 1000 grams. Pretty cheap for a product that does all that healing, sweet tasting and no side effects.

You might want to do some research if you haven’t already, you will be amazed of all the benefits it has medicinally. Good luck Bob.

Let me explain by some examples. To get Vitamin A we would prefer vitamin supplement than maybe having an Apple. We would pop-up a Vitamin C pill rather than having an orange or lemon. But that supplement is no where in comparison to an Apple / lemon / orange. Similarly, turmeric is much more than just turmeric.

I always recommend taking good quality powder unless you have no other choice left.

I think you have totally misunderstood me KeshavK. I hope you wasn’t thinking that I was recommending turmeric supplements over powder, because I wasn’t. You are right, Supplements have no where near the nutrients that the powder has. I USE THE POWDER, Only I don’t use turmeric powder. I use 95% CURCUMIN POWDER. Why, well you should know that turmeric only has 3-5% CURCUMIN in the turmeric. My experience leads me to believe that the active ingredients in the Curcumin is what gives turmeric its healing powers, even thou it is only 3-5% in the turmeric. That is why you have to take 1 to 2 teaspoons of turmeric a day to get the benefits of the curcumin that is in the turmeric. I take 1000 milligrams or 1 gram of curcumin powder a day, which is the normal dosage of the curcumin, which is a lot less than 1-2 teaspoons of turmeric powder. The reason is because of the active ingredients in the Curcumin, which is what does the healing of the body, are called curcuminoids is what does the healing. Not turmeric. There are 3 of these ingredients. One is curcumin, demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin. Any good curcumin should include ALL 3 CURCUMINOIDS and should be standardized to at least 75%. Otherwise what you could be getting is powdered turmeric root which does NOT have the healing powder of curcumin powder. Again the normal dosage of Curcumin powder is 1000mg. which is 1 gram. I use a digital scale to measure my curcurmin. Feel free to research yourself what I just stated about Curcumin powder. My belief is that if a person wants to be healed much faster use the CURCUMIN POWDER, NOT TURMERIC POWDER. Don’t forget the black pepper with your consumption of the curcumin. I’m quite sure you know the use of the pepper if you have done your research. Happy robust health to you KesavK. Thank you for commenting back to me to make me aware of any misunderstanding between us.

I would like to interject something that may be of interest in this discussion. I think all parties are correct. Yes, it is true that a properly formulated curcumin supplement that has 3 synthesized curcuminoids in it does indeed contain much more of the compounds that are attributed with curing, mitigating, and preventing a wide range of conditions. BUT it is a common belief in many cultures that in order for any of the compounds in a given plant to work to their full potential, that all parts of the plant, or in this case, the turmeric root, must be taken together. The reasoning is that there are likely other compounds or properties within the plant that are required to fully activate the more potent compounds. Take turmeric, for example. Indians never just eat a big spoonful of turmeric and certainly not curcumin that has been synthesized from it. They say that heating turmeric helps release some of the critical healing powers. They also say that it must be combined with other spices, including cardamom, ginger, coriander, and black pepper (as in curry sauce) to ensure that the turmeric doesn’t dry out and overheat the liver. When the Chinese prepare many medicinal herb medicines, they generally include all parts of the plant (leaves, stems, bark, and root) even if the leaf is considered the most potent part because there is a symbiotic relationship between all parts and they must be taken together to get the full benefit of the leaf. For that reason, I would recommend taking the more potent curcuminoid capsules along with a least a small amount of the full turmeric and ideally combined with a bit of ginger, coriander, cardamom, black pepper. Just to be on the safe side.

Can you tell me where to order these capsules? I have just recently been told that I have osteoarthritis in my heels, and it is debilitating! I’ve been put on Celebrex and do not like taking drugs. Help!

Elaine, around 1-1.5 tsp of paste is okay. Start slow with 1/4 of tsp and then slowly increase. If you are making paste you can put grounded pepper. If you want to add it at time of taking paste it is best to grind them as and when you have the paste.

Robbie, you do not even need to take it with the milk at all. Just include black pepper in your regular diet (lunch / dinner / salads etc.) and that should do the trick. Also, it is also better to include turmeric as spice and not take as supplement. As long term overdose of supplements may case side effects. You can include turmeric in almost any dish you are already preparing, try it, its wonderful!

I fell in love with Indian food about ten years ago, and I add turmeric to almost everything now. Not because it is healthy for me, but simply because I like the flavor, smell, texture and heat that it brings to any dish. The health benefits are just an added bonus.

Tumeric powder is much cheaper than the pills when you purchase it on ebay, Just add 1 to two teaspoons to the food you eat w/ the black pepper that would suit your taste buds to sprinkle it onto, or add the teaspoons to a warm glass of milk with 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper p/ tsp. of tumeric.

I buy it for about $12 a pound from Swanson’s it has 4% curcumin which is very high. Far cheaper than the pills which are a rip off IMO and are too high. I mix up a paste with yellow mustard and add a small bit of black pepper and chase it with water.I take about 2 tablespoons per day this way plus I put it on eggs, hamburger and other dishes. Bulk is the way to go as buying capsules or pills is far more expensive. There are other good online shops also vita cost, purebulk, starwest herbs.

I buy curcumin powder 95%, not turmeric. on Ebay. Curcumin is the ingredient in turmeric that has all the nutrients.I only use a 1/4 tsp. of curcumin compared to a full tsp of turmeric. You say that turmeric is 4% curcumin. Yes that is right. But curcumin powder is 95% curcumin or you can get it 100% curcumin. I paid 51.00 on ebay for 500 grams. The normal dosage is 1 gram a day. If you use 1/4 rounded teaspoon of curcumin is about 1 gram. so 500 days is a year and 41/2 months. Of course there are smaller amounts that you can buy. Curcumin tastes nothing like turmeric. It is sweet tasting.

By buying turmeric, and only getting 4% curcumin is a waste of money if you use it for medicinal purposes. I sprinkle it on my food and add a little black pepper with it.

FiF – Thanks for the advice. I have been grinding my own Turmeric powder from dried roots for years and had great success reducing arthritis pain by using 30 grams/day. I would like to also try curcumin powder, especially now that I see how inexpensively you can buy it online. But I would like to be confident in the purity and quality of the curcumin I order. Do you have advice on that point? I see there are several suppliers on eBay, most of whom send curcumin directly from India, e.g., “herbalextractseller”. Is this what you do? Have you been completely happy and successful with the quality of your purchases? Any advice? I would appreciate any suggestions you have.

I am fortunate that in Lincoln we have a fine Indian store called Sujis, I have purchased Masala Chai, as well as White Tea and black tea and bulk Cinnamon They carry several types of curry as well. It has been several months so will have to compare prices. One thing for sure is that Tumeric in pill form is waaaaay overpriced. People would save lots of money buying spice by bulk. I take about 2 teaspoons per day of tumeric mixed with yellow mustard and pepper, I also take 2 teaspoons per day of cinnamon mixed with raw honey. I started this regime 2 years ago and have yet to get a cold or flu and joint pains from my 37 years in Army are greatly reduced and I thank this regime for getting me off prescription celebrex that the VA had me on.

Can you advise me on how much pepper I should use to make the tumeric more bioavailable? I’ve been taking capsules for a year to help with RA and it has allowed me to give up prescription meds and OTC NSAIDs as well. I just need a little more effectiveness. Thanks for any advice you can give.

Kate, unfortunately there is no prescribed quantity. But one great way is to start using black pepper in your diet as a spice. That should really help and also ensure there is no side effect. Hope this helps.

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Sexually transmitted diseases are infections transferred due to unsafe sexual practices. Bacteria, viruses and parasites cause STDs. Some STDs can be transferred through non sexual activities, eg: HIV can be transferred from mother to child during pregnancy. Sexually transmitted infections are transferred through the mucous membranes of the genitals, mouth, respiratory tract and eyes. Mainly they are transferred via body fluids and can also be spread by skin contact. STDs […]

Okay, so lately there has been lot of confusion on how much turmeric one can take in a day and how many times one should take it. The primary reason for the confusion on “how much” arises from the fact that one can take turmeric (and thus its active ingredient) in so many ways: Fresh turmeric root Turmeric dried root powder Supplement with various % of curcumin present Fluid extract […]

The oldest memory I have of using turmeric is that of taking it with milk. So here I discuss how turmeric when used with milk can be beneficial for various health problems and some common ways of preparing your turmeric milk. Turmeric milk benefits Turmeric has been used as a spice in Indian recipes and as Ayurvedic medicine for many thousands of years. Turmeric offers many health benefits since it […]

Turmeric paste is also popularly known as “GOLDEN PASTE” and the reason is obvious why. There are so many recipes available to make golden paste. The paste can prove to be super useful for both pets and humans. What is needed for making golden paste 1/2 cup turmeric powder (125 mls) – Use organic powder. Here are some tips to buy a good one> 1 cup water (250 mls) 1/2 […]

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you would already know that turmeric or curcuma longa has been used as a spice for centuries in Asian cuisine and is widely cultivated in India. Curcumin and other curcuminoids (key which are chemical compounds in turmeric) offer numerous health benefits since they are powerful antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial agents. It is a popular ingredient in Ayurvedic medicine. Today, turmeric […]

Facial masks are available in various styles and types. You get peel-off masks, clay or cream masks. Face masks are applied to cleaned and dried skin and left for a few minutes until it completely dries off before rinsing it. There are commercially available masks with diverse ingredients and meant for different types of skin. You can also make your own face masks using ingredients found at home. Home facial […]

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